Mountain Biking in Scotland is the Perfect Winter Getaway
There are few places quite like Scotland’s remote wilderness. For such a small nation, it packs in an abundance of mountain biking havens to explore.
Unyielding mountain ranges, glittering lochs, lush woodlands and miles of dipping highlands; Scotland’s landscapes and natural scenery really will take your breath away.
While the weather is certainly testing over the winter, we are of the firm belief that mountain biking in the slurries of mud and leaves is the best way to enjoy yourself, while also making the most of the outdoors during the harsher months.
Glenlivet – Banffshire
For all you whiskey enthusiasts out there, you may recognise the name of this first destination. That’s because several mountain bike trails are hidden within the Glenlivet Estate, which houses the famous distilleries and makes for a well earned post-ride beverage. Historically, this is illicit whisky distilling country where smuggling was rife way back when.
Aside from its iconic beverages, it is home to two exceptional trails that sit just on border of Cairngorms National Park, which boats expansive lowlands and sweeping hillsides which are often snow-capped around this time of year.
There is a perfect balance between ancient walking trails and man-made biking paths, meaning there is something for all levels of cyclists and the single-track flows through stunning dense woodlands and challenging climbs.
Comrie Croft – Perthshire
The Comrie Croft trail in Perthshire offers an impeccably kept 12 mile network consisting of graded single-track. The trails range from slow and flat for beginners to twisting and technical for the more experienced adventurers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_7CyyKo2Xw
The single-track has won multiple awards over the years and has been touted as possibly the best flowing, berm-filled trail in Scotland. Aside from track itself, there is plenty to get stuck into from cafes and bike shops, to exhilarating downhill rock drops with a multitude of progressive features graded as either blue, red, or black.
Fort William
Arguably the nation’s most iconic mountain biking destination, Fort William is home to the most dramatic of sceneries where the UK’s highest mountains cascade down to the great lochs of the west coast.
It is quintessentially Scottish; expect all four seasons rolled into one on your excursions, but the sheer quality of the surrounding trails will be sure to take your mind elsewhere. The Ben Nevis mountain range has a gondola uplift to the world renowned downhill tracks and a challenging red graded trail. At the base sprawls World Cup standard XC loops, family-friendly trails for all levels of mountain bikers, and wild trails that are hidden from view but almost certainly worth discovering.
There is an abundance of places to explore on two wheels, so it is worth asking one of the many local bike shops as to where is best for whatever type of ride you are looking for.
